Beneath the Surface
by SectorLutter
Summary: He's loved her since the beginning of third year- but does she know it? And will he ever be able to tell her how he feels? ONE SHOT, please read and review!


This is just a little one-shot on my take on two of the best characters in the Harry Potter universe. Enjoy! Review if you like it, please!

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Love is a funny thing, he decided, casually glancing over at the girl of his dreams. He had always thought that if he ever fell for a girl she'd be a looker, with fantastic features and looks that could kill. She'd be a regular Helen of Troy, a face that launched a thousand love potions, and she'd be his alone. Hell, she'd hang on his every word and giggle at his every joke, no matter how bad his attempts at humor were.

It really showed that God had a sense of humor when he realized he was head of heels for Hermione Granger.

It wasn't that she was ugly, or something, because she was pretty in her own sense of the word. Sure, her hair was kind of bushy and out of control, and she didn't like to wear anything very flattering . But her eyes were quite nice, and now that her smile had been fixed she was much more attractive than she had once been. Besides, she'd proven at the Yule Ball fourth year that she had at least _some_ sway over the state of her head. Her heavy curls had actually looked quite tame that night.

But that wasn't what he loved her for. She was smart, and she was nice, and she could be quite clever when she meant to be, and occasionally when she didn't. He even liked the way she made his temper flair when she was being an arrogant, stubborn, self centered know-it-all. He liked it even better when told her so. Now _that _ made her angry, and he enjoyed the conversations that resulted.

Some may have called it fighting, but he knew better- There was fighting and then there was, well, _fighting._ After all, his Mum and Dad fought all the time, and they'd had so many kids it was practically legendary in the wizarding world.

Yes, he told himself, when they fought it was something special. Almost magical. When they fought, you could practically _feel_ the connection.

She curled her feet under her, readjusting herself as she wrote, and he turned his attention back to her. Comical, he thought, bitter laughter echoing in his mind, Absolutely comical.

Of all the girls in the world, wizarding or otherwise, you fall for your best friend.

And you're going to have to tell her eventually, he nagged himself. After all, she must've felt what they had together. Surely it popped out at her as it did at him. Everyone could must see it, the way the vibes flew, similar to static electricity, the two of them.

You should do it right now, you pansy, He reasoned. No sense in holding off any longer. You've already held off three years, since the beginning of third, you might as well just tell her now.

Yes, he would tell her now.

"Hermione…" He stammered, cursing his ears for turning red at the mere _thought_ of what he was about to do. They always seemed to turn on him first, those damn ears, and he knew shortly after the rest of his body would jump ship as well, turning him into a quivering, mumbling mess.

Damn.

"Hermione, I think you…" he started again. Good Lord, his face was a bright crimson already, he could feel it. Only a couple more words to go, mate, he thought to himself. A few more words and your home free…

It was then she tipped her hand and the beginning of a letter revealed itself to him.

__

Dear Viktor, it read.

Viktor. His insides turned to mush and his heart snapped into a thousand pieces. Viktor bloody Krum. He would never be able to destroy enough action figures to stem the anger he felt at that person. That foul, stupid, Bulgarian excuse for a person.

"You think what?" Hermione questioned, glancing at him.

"I think you're wasting your time writing letters to that Git." He sneered, retreating into his anger. "He can't even pronounce your name right."

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Hermione sighed at what must have been the hundredth Viktor joke he had made this week alone. Ron Weasley just didn't understand anything about love.


End file.
